Gulshan Devaiah says he doesn't take Nawazuddin Siddiqui 'seriously' after his comment on depression

Actor Gulshan Devaiah has called Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s statement on the mental health issue ‘Dritharashtra & Gandhari syndrome’. Taking to Twitter, he reacted to Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s recent interview in which he said that nobody in the villages is ever depressed and people in the city ‘glorify their emotions’.

The ‘Dahaad’ actor was referring to Gandhari from the Hindu epic Mahabharata, who was the wife of Dhritarashtra, the blind king of Hastinapura. It is believed that she wore a blindfold in order to live like her blind husband.

He added that he immensely respects the ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ actor for his craft but he would not take his statement on mental health seriously.

‘If you even just look at alcoholism or addictions, they exist in rural communities and that’s mental illness. No addict indulges in addiction because they love it. The addiction is a symptom, the real problem is the trauma they can’t heal,’ he tweeted.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui was criticised after he said that depression is an urban issue and that rural India doesn't suffer from mental illnesses.

Talking to Mashable India, he said, ‘I come from a place where, if I would tell my father that I am feeling depressed, he would give me one tight slap… Depression waha nahi tha, kisi ko bhi nahi hota waha depression, sab khush hai (No one gets depression in villages, everyone is happy there). But I learnt about anxiety, depression, bipolar after coming to the city.’

Several netizens slammed him for his 'ignorant' remark on depression.

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